The Sun. — London, England, 1818-12-15 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN. INSOLVENT PEBTOBS' AGENTS, AND TIT E BANEFUL EFFECTS OF THEIR iItACTICE. GEx:fiov. " What are these, So tv it h I'd and so wild in their attire, That look not like th' inhabitants o' the Earth, And yet are on't ? Live you? or'are you aught That man may question ?" SHAKSVEARE. MR. EDTTOR,-Truly, my good Sir, your Cor respondent under the signature of " An Agent for, trmi against Insolvent DL-btors," admits that there ore persons who practice in every Court, and are pest ; observing, also, " that if people in general had theit-deserts, few would escape lashing."— . I subscribe to the first part of his assertion ; but cannot approve of what appears a libel on the People ir. general do not deserve the rod of criticism for.the malfeazances pointed out in the practice of Agents O.e. the Insolvent Court, but that these Agents merit castigation I have no doubt will he proved, and it will be indifferent whether such Agents are traced to the purliens of Fleet-lane or the more fashionable resm t of Lam beth-road and its vicinity. I have no wish to ntediatize with the avengers of the cause of Self and Co., and if n►ediarizat it , n has been entered on, I shall be no advocate for its continuance. The Public and the Legal Pro , fessiOn are identified,as injured _parties in the mal feazauce and corrupt conduct of illegitiniateand self-constituted Agency, and completely contrary to the rules and orders of every Legal Tribunal ;* and this will appear on proper investigation. To particularize would be invidious. To generalize is subject to scru•iny. lam not surprised at the enstver of Self and Co., for, as GAY says, " When you tali: of vice or bribe, 'Tis so pat to all the Tribe, • " Each cries 'twas levelled at me." Self and Co may Essay as much as they please to dupe or mislead your Readers, but they will find very fete, if any; who will subscribe to the Budibrasiic couplet— " To some the pleasure is as great " Of bein cheated as to cheat." The Agent who addressed you on the Ist inst. has only manifested to the public his individual the inefficacy of Public Appeal, and urrog,-,ntly avert, he knows it to be ineffectual ; if does know it, he (mght to inform your Readers why that course is known to be inefrec foal. lit the absence of profs, his egotism and hht be credited. And as he ad- Tll>tS r ;at•hase Practitioners called Agents, are a pi.st to society, lie might have given his (lowa -6911 from Sti AKSPLARE, by way of parody or pant plat asc, thus— " May Practisers of fraud be punish'd for't, Aud Lash of Law exclude them from the Court." In anticipation of no answer to my letter of the 'lst instant, I may venture to prophecy as regards the Agents of the Insolvent Court generally. The embers of their hope, like the last glimmers of a dying taper, seem struggling to the last flaslr, reluctant to expire. They cut a poor figure, and are unworthy of your notice, as they are incapa ble of expressing their poignancy, which so long wrapped up in a delusive and too flattering dream of, expectation, now awakens to a painful re verse which it is not in their power or yours to assuage. I would therefore express a charitable wish, that in their adversity they may find proof of what has been said by moralists-: ". If there is a greater object in the Universe than the Human Agent struggling with adversity, it is the HUMANE Agent who steps in to relieve him." Your intelligent Correspondent, Attornatus, lias manfully advocated the cause of his Profes sion, and in so doing he has very properly invit ed the public to a protection of its own rights ; whilst the administration of legal practice is con signed to, or surreptitiously embraced by charac ters of the description alluded to, the Insolvent Act will operate merely to discharge Debtors, without realizing the hopes and just expectations of creditors. Therefore, as Anornatus justly says, " the %thole race of Agents ought to be exterminated." And to stew the justness of his conclusion, I trust his able endeavours svill be continued. If he will favour the public with souse of those instances of abuse which have oc curred to Lis own experience, the public will be enabled at once to decide on the propriety of his conclusion—as facts are always superior to Jui madecrsions. The vast number of persons ad mitted to practice as Agents would on disclosure astound the coMmunity. 1 have not the means of ascertaining them, but a Committee or ,-.lrliament may probably call for a return, and for evidence of their qualifications, which will be found to em brace a contused medley of diameters, including Bankrupts in fortune and reputation, discarded mechanics, artizans, handicraftsmen of the Lowest description and most illiterate habits. In the meantime, it is an of !white justice to evince their pretences by exposing their conduct. Attornatus has truly declared, that these In solvent Agents have beets sheltered by permission to practice in the names of Certificated Attor niei, who have beer, reduced by encroachments on their practice to the necessity .of obtaining sods Certificates at the hands of those whose intrusion has contributed so to reduce them : and it will be found, that the Agents themselves have for the most part been, in their own language, white washed, which forms their principal qualifica tion to act illegally for others. It is of the most vital importance to the com munity, that the counteraction of illegitimate and corrupt Agency should be vigilantly promoted and encouraged, otherwise the low and base ma chinations of fraudulent characters must defeat the wholesome provisions of legislative enactments. In all the superior Courts, regulations for ren dering the Law pure have been the constant ob ject qf attention, and from time to time restric tions and remedies have been devised and applied, to mitigate abuses and obviate evils. The pre judice which many erroneously entertain against the Legal Profession, has arisen from the mis guided advice of those who do not belong to it; and thousands have joined its the clamour ; imputing blanic to the Practitioners legitimately appoint ed, for every failure, inconvenience, or disap pointment resulting Irons the mazes and obscurity of legal proceeding* into which they have been led by inexperienced and interested advisers. Hence it ises, that most of the complaints reiterated by Creditors, and frequently by Debtors, are to be traced to the selfish and mischievous suggestions of low and contemptible Agents, who, regardless of the interest of the Debtors, and solely anxious to promote their own, have urged desperate expe dients, productive of unnecessary expense and trouble, and involving all parties in loss and mortification. 1r must be admitted, that many of these Agents have kept up the farce tolerably well for the last three years, but they now appear to be almost spun out with devices, and if they should not die a natural death, it is to be hoped that the same legislative wisdom which shall be .►plied to correct the Act itself, will be efficient to remove them front a continuance of abuses. It they are permitted the recognition of appointed ifgents, it would he well for those who employ them to bear in mind the maxim, " Latet angnis in herba," and they must not be discouraged in the exercise of their judgment by the reply which some Agents may be induced to offer in the lan gunge of Snake in the play— " Sir, I request you to consider that I live by the hadnees of my character, and if it was once known that Iliad been he frayed into an honeet action, I should lose every friend I hare in the world." And probably the folloWing advice from an other celebrated Author will not be unaccept able : , " This, above all, to thine ownself be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou cans't not then be false to any man." SHAKSPEA.RE• 1 have heretofore challenged the fraternity of Agents to slew by what legal authority they have assumed an encroachment on Professional Rights, and if such an attempt is offered by Self and Co , or any others, whether Agents for or against Insolvent Debtors, I trust there• will be no difficulty in convincing you and your Readers that such attempt will be abortive ; and upon this theme I shall by prepared to encounter all anta gonists, to whom I conclude, " it is the nature of de. pnie to BLIND DS ALL to the means of safety, however easy and apparent they may be." FIELDING. Plus Ullra. SCRUTATOR. LONDON JOURNALS. [FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF. THIS DAY.] [Morning Post.] THE QUEEN'S WILL. It now appears certain that her late Majesty had no other property to bequeath but her dia monds ; they are to be divided among the Prin cesses in equal proportions. A valuation has'been taken, and these jewels are estimated at, little short of a million sterling. The codicil to the will disposes of the Queen's ready money,.viz. four thousand pounds ! The other property, namely, the wardrobe, goes to the unmarried daughters. It is very valuable ; for be it remark ed, that a Lady of high rank, many years at tached to the Household, observed, " Her Ma jesty was the richest Queen in Europe in ward robe." The Princess Augusta means to keep up the minor charities in Windsor and in its vicinity. In that neighbourhood a confident opinion is enter taii►ed that that Princess will have the care of the King's person. This arrangement is not credited in the best informed circles in town, they con sidering the Duke of York's election as certain. HIS MAJESTY Was seen last week by a' Lady of rank, who describes him as walking with a quick, but firm pace, up and down the five rooms allotted for his movements. The Xing was dressed in a Royal blue robe de ehambre, wrapped round the body.— His Majesty looked uncommonly The Times.] A paragraph in the Dutch Papers asserts, on the authority of private letters from Paris, what our own Correspondence had already seemed to render certain, that the Duc de Richelieu is not at all likely to retire from the French Ministry. A fresh batch of exiles, according to rumour, arc the point of returning to France. Amongst those now mentioned are enumerated the names of Soa, Merlin de Douay, and Arnault. THEATRICAL . REGISTER. Performed List Night. THEATRE 11(1YAL, DRURY-LANE.—(lOth tine), Brutus: Lu cius Junius, Mr. Kean ; Tarquinia, Mrs. W. West. Ater which, Is He Mire? THEATELEROYAI„ COVENT-GARDEN.—Jane Shore: Lord Bast ing.;, Mr. Young; Jane Shure, Miss O'Neill. Alter which, The Libertine. *** For STACKHOUSE (Letter VI.) see the First Page. PRICE 01 THIS DAY AT T F STOCKS WELVE weLocK. 3 per Cent. Red....—. .77iii India 80nd5.......... 795. pr. Si per Cent. Stij Exch. Bills, 4d... 16s. los. pr. 4 per Cents 944 95 Cons. for Aceuunt....7ll 7911 Bank.L. Ann... 19i 20 1 16th , MAILS. ARRIVED—I Dublin, 2 Waterford, 2 Guernsey and Jersey, I France. DUE-1 Dublin, I Sweden, I Hamburg!), 1 Lisbon. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO•MORROW. Morning, 18 minutes after 4. I Evening, 43 minutes after 4. TH E SUN. aOLgAI QV'S inlcette FALSUAI AUDEAT P LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1818. We received this morning the Paris Papers of Saturday last. The following are extracts : " PAets, Dec. I2.—The King transacted busi ness yesterday with the Minister of the Marine and Colonies, and afterwards went to Cboisy. " The Marquis de Caraman, the French Am bassador to Vienna, had yesterday an audience of leave of his Majesty. " It is thought that the office of Under Secre- tary of State or Finance, held by M. de la Bonil lerie, who has resigned, will be suppressed. " M. Fotbin de Janson, one of those exiled by the Ordonnance of the 24th July, is, it is said, amongst the number of those who have obtained permission to return to France. " The Duke d'Angouleme arrived at Calais the 6th inst. The next day his Royal Highness dined with the Municipal Body, attended a hall given by the town in the evening, and departed on the Bth. " It is said that his Majesty's Coronation will take place in May next. " The Doke of Wellington sets out to-morrow for London. The Empress Consort of Russia was to set out the 9th instant from Carlsruhe. Iler Im perial Majesty returns to St. Petersbnrgh by the way of Prague and Warsaw. " The Empress Dowager of Russia will, after leaving Weimar, stay some (lays at Berlin, and then return to St. Petershurgh. The Em peror and the Empresses propose to be at St. Petersburgl► before Christmas, which, according to the Russian Calendar, commences the 6th January. FIVE PFR CENTS. Fr t iday .. . . ...... 63 f. -a. DEFERRED STOCK Of the 22d March, 1817, 75 f. 60 c. 22d Sept. 1917, . 22 , 1 March, 1818, 7l f. 60 c. 22d Sept. 1818, " VIENNA, DEC. I.—We have daily arrivals here of persons of (lis►inction Magnates of Hun gat y, Nol►knien of Bohemia and Austria, &c. who intend to be present at the brilliant fates to be given during the stay of the Emperor of Rus sia. A camp of pleasure is also to be formed in the neighbourhood.. " WUETZIURG, DEC. 3.—The Emperor of Russia arrived here this afternoon at one o'clock, and set out at three, to continue his journey to Maennerstadt. " LAUSANNE, DEC. 4.—The Federal Directory authorized by the votes of the Cantons, transmit ted on the 12thillt. to the Ministers of the Allied Powers, the Act by which Switz , rland accepts the Convention of Aix-la-Chapelle of the 9th October, so far as it concerns Switzerland." We have inserted an account of a Meeting which was held yesterday in Westminster by the friends of Mr. HOBHOUSE, in order to support h►is canvass for the vacant representation of that City. (See Last Page.)—The account is taken froth The Morning Post of this day, arid we presume that it is an accurate report tif what passed. Mr. Hors• HOUSE, though repeatedly called on, had hitherto refused to avow his POLITICAL CREED, but yes terday he made amends for his former reserve with avengeance, as the phrase is, for it is hardly pos sible for the most zealous of the Disciples of the Spencean doctrines, recommending equality of pos sessions, or any oft he Spa-fields and Palace•yard 0 ta tOTS, to have uttered more outrageous attacks upon the Government, the Laws, and the Religion of this Country. The sneering irony with which he speaks of THE CHURCH and its Members, out ht to rouse the Electors of Westminster into a rego- lute support of the honour of ►heir City. A most offensive work has been imputed :o Mr. Hosuouss which he has never disavowed, and the main sub- stance and WhOle tenor of his speech yesterday exactly accords with the substance and tendency of the offensive work in question. We may be sure that if Mr. Hum-louse could be invested with the Parliamentary Pritiilege of speech, he might he expected to utter similar sentiments in the House of Commons. Can it be possible then that the Electors of Westminster will suffer such a man to appear as their Representative in the eyes of the world and of posterity !! If they do, their character will be gone for ever. But we hope that, after reading Mr. Hoanauses speech, they will see the danger of admitting such a person into a share of legislatiVe authority. We know nothing of Mr. HOBHOUSE, but we have read his work, and we have inserted the masterly criticism on it in The Quarterly Review, and we defy any man of common sense, and who is at tached to the Constitution of this Country,, to read that work and his speech of yesterday, and to lay his hand upon his heart and say, that, ex cept in education and talents, Mr. HOBHOUSU is at all different from the COBBETTS, HUN rs, GALB JONESBS, WATSONS, EVANSMS, THELWALLA, Or any " acquitted Felons" throughout the Country. We shall conclude with referring all honest men and good subjects throughout the City of West minster to the speech delivered by Mr. Hos- House yesterday, for we will not advise them so far to exercise their patience, and expose themselves to the disgust of reading his work, and when they have read, learned, marked, and inwardly digested that speech—tO ask them. selves whether they would best support their Con. City, b 1 stitutional rights and the honour of their appointing him one of their Representat ives• f o , Though we heartily wish success to Sir I ‘' at RAY MAXWELL, yet we are glad to fi n , a re , Lord NUGE NT and his friends have 8° I) fis cr , ported, abandoned their c a n vass for Mr' W a il &READ, who, at least, is preferable to M r. la° HOUSE. We feel as much concern for the unbaPPY Men °f who were exec u t e d this morn i ng , as ht Public Writers who have entered fully i n 0- le - , question of their guilt, and seem to have be eri ( lc sirous of exciting a false compassion am ol4 people in general. But we can confidently affirni,; that the unfortunate men who have suffered 01 morning for their violation oldie laws of the ene ly. try, had every possible attention paid to theireoles: Driscoll was proved to have uttered a fore Flys Pound Note, by the 'undoubted testifil of the Shopkeeper whom be intended to del l.° Cashman, whose name really is EmANuELP sP Weller were tried together. The character of ti•o evidence !was pointedly commented on by th Judge at the trial ; but being well. O r ' o borated in detail, his Lordship and tbe e . Jury" had no doubt of the guilt 0f 60 prisoners. If , there was a shade of ‘ ditle d r'. ence between them, the evidence against w el l ` . ; was more strongly confirmed than that 80 111 Cashman, or Emanuel ; but the latter, by the c °11 ; fessiou of his own guilt, left no doubt O f ° i f propriety of the verdict in both , instancest.-0 may be observed, that the youth of Prisoners not always as stated in the Calendars, Nothing interesting in the Port Letters to -- ED P Custom-house List To-morrow. g WINDSOR, DEC. 14.—The Bishop of LA-- 17 0 went out of waiving on Saturday, from haring ;:s care of the KING, and left here. His Lordsnir - o p relieved by Lord ARDEN. Soon after breakb st ,o Saturday morning, the Duchess of GLotino s h s t left the Castle, and proceeded to her resitienle Bagshot-park, where her Royal Highness re 113 2 04 ed some time viewing the repairs, alteration s ' 0 0 improvements that have been going on for ° re , months pait ; afterwards her Royal Highne ss . 's turned here to dinner. The Princess Snrt i es health is much improved. Her Royal Ilig" i r e rides out in her carriage daily, except whe n Po , vented by the weather. The Duke of Yng l ‘ t oo rived at the Castle on Saturday, soon afte r fa r o'clock, on a visit to his Royal Sisters, and 2 - wards proceeded to Oatlands. • Ge The PRINCE REGENT'has appointed Alj.l °r- spi nerd TAYLOR to' the Office of Master of St' r lae tharine's Hospital, near the Tower, vacant blior death of the late Mr. DissmowE.--( 0 " Express.) ;like Yesterday, soon after one o'clock, the v` YoRK arrived at his house in St, Jamess lace from Oatlands. , , . :. ev . His' Grace the Duke of WELLINGTON .- ii pected from France bourly—Lord - CAsll. OO6 " 4 g returns on Friday. ' , ,a to The 18th arid 39th Regiments are expe ct " , fbe embark at Portsmouth to-morrow, for Cork' - t he 25th, 35th, 91st, and 2d battalion Rifles, ° f a ts same destination, will follow as soon as transP- can be got ready to take them. e 0 The Duke of RICHMOND has sent be ll " n ts presents from Canada, two boxes of flower' l9- t b; one for the Duke of GORDON, the ()O'er °r Earl of DARNLEY. list Poor HARLEY still remains on the inva-' „c* of New Drury, and his medical friends are otis bensivr tit it will be some time yet before ' able to resume his professional duties. 1 1toe ROYAL ACADEMY.—ne sth lecture of th e -(3 ,,, seas delivered yesterday evening, by Mr. COI', / k i t h upon the Science of Anatomy, Hy connecten the Arts. The Pr ofessor was for some citric r' c ' t . s pied in explaining the different directions and inril'e in which the threads, called membranes. 01°10, possessin t_g h e muscular power) run. The ‘,.°. veyances of the will and of feelii , sr,, by the sst were considered. The action of these from r 4 be and confirmed experin4eurs) was suppose d "' a il occasioned by a process similar to an electi,..joo shock. • It was remarked, before enter ing the detail of the science, that all the anot °lll. o e , names were derived from some ci!curnstartee9 cutler to the parts, as their res , m lanc e t , o a Ore' jects, their form, their use, &c. The re st discourse was occupied in professional 0" 11 "„ ai tion, Mr, FUSELI was in the Chair, and tronJos the academicians were present. The rot nri completely filled. s tier' DEATH.—On Sunday last, M rs • Ite t peas, of Hackney, just after she ha d eat jog dinner, was sitting down on a chair cooeergteil with another female in the dining-room, 6" to the ground and instantly expired. „ of SUICLDR.—Sunday afternoon, Mr. Ajn°ll;reat Aylesbury-street, Clerkenwell, a person of P' tits respectability, was found in a water-closet' °bor. back of his house, weltering in blood from a . to rid gash in the throat. Near his right hand sios razor, stained widi gore. Surgical assistanceotil immediately procured, and he langaished jretl l eight o'clock yesterday morning, when he ecx,eider DREADFUL MURDER.—Mr. TAYLOR , of ‘" 00 ness-row, Old -street, a young Gentleman' f las' had just finished. his studies at the Lortd" bi Rivefiver, pitals, was found murdered in the Ne w the Sluice House, on Sunday morning. T it i§ particulars have nut yet transpire d . b ut o 0 0, understood that he went clown to Sollthga Friday, to attend a case, saute day, but did not make his appesrsn ce ,: oo fe b ° I friends, alarmed at his absence, we nt S e- E0 the him on Saturday, and in a field aidjaecnid hat Sluice House, they found his umbrella 51) pc iog this led to further search and the riv er °pe ar l diagged, the body was disCOvered:wit b -c antes of strangulation upon b " • money taken htom him. and was to tortere to ( the of t able awl aS a hat g bity COM' very tress Whi c fr om Cot), Poin nes, th e n ot } itie 11 )0‘‘ t linei itl rttl 45 5181 41 01'0 il l Ves (l ier 1 ti le g t„ tio , To .17 th e gi 11 44 lire %w et Peri l , kr• tratic I 'ltial c)4O, kr. E rtso 44(1 I' t 4t der, k r . / bit at Prolet 80 • ' - m4rt ls 14ti011 14 1 act 141 t sti '41)0 6 — Peri 4"PPits It `lAwsi tho se Wil ose • ai) t 4tee _ W e.f in e " tor th ift o r 3Nigeis